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Public surveillance security

Around the world, many countries have stepped up the use of video security technology for public safety and security in recent years, not least due to the threats posed by international terrorism. However, there is also ongoing discussion, for instance in Germany, about whether or not the use of more video technology in public spaces can be an effective instrument for preventing the more common types of crime faced by police and authorities.

The inevitable question is if more or higher resolution cameras really offer more security by either preventing or at least aiding in the investigation of crimes. Large open spaces in urban areas are particularly challenging to keep a watch on.

Until now, it seemed that the only logical way to guarantee full coverage of such open spaces, which often include sections with impaired visibility, was to set up large systems with as many cameras as possible. Unfortunately, in most cases it was found that such an approach could be prohibitively expensive. At the same time, it was often simply not technically possible to create satisfactory solutions.

The technical capabilities of Panomera technology initiated a shift in crime prevention. The multifocal sensor system in Panomera was specially developed for the all-encompassing video surveillance of expansive areas. With Panomera, huge widths, as well as areas with large distances can be displayed with a completely new resolution quality, in real time and at high frame rates of up to 30 fps.

With Panomera, a huge area can be surveyed from a single location, and depending on the requirements, the resolution can be scaled nearly limitlessly. Hence, one Panomera, equipped with eight sensors, is sufficient to replace 35 standard megapixel cameras.

When police in the German metropolis of Cologne decided to revise their security concept, especially with regard to securing large, open spaces, German manufacturer Dallmeier designed and installed a video monitoring solution based on the Panomera technology. Instead of numerous individual cameras, the implemented system required only two installation points for comprehensive coverage of an area of 8.800 square metres around the city’s cathedral and train station. It did not take long for the success of the new surveillance concept to show:

While a high number in criminal offences in that area tarnished the celebrations on New Year’s Eve 2015, the festivities took place without incidents in 2016.

Video security technology has been in use across South Africa for a long time. Given the continuously high overall crime rate and the need for effective public spending, it would seem prudent for authorities to consider investment in economical, low-maintenance video systems, such as described above, that provide maximum coverage and situational awareness.

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